


Trading Work for Festive Drink Making

by pandora_rose_xo



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Christmas traditions, Daily Prophet Reporter Ginny Weasley, F/F, First Christmas, Fluff, Ministry of Magic Employee Hermione Granger, Not Epilogue Compliant, Post-War, Stay at Home mum
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-21
Updated: 2020-12-21
Packaged: 2021-03-11 05:08:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,635
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28219737
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pandora_rose_xo/pseuds/pandora_rose_xo
Summary: Hermione and Ginny haven't been a couple all that long, it took them a while to come to terms with their feelings and to tell their previous partners.Once they did they moved up to Scotland, Stirling to be precise. Ginny bringing her toddler with her.They are both finished for Christmas and Hermione starts their festive season off by making an old favourite of the Grangers, and getting Ginny to help.
Relationships: Hermione Granger/Ginny Weasley, past Harry Potter/Ginny Weasley - Relationship, past Hermione Granger/Ron Weasley - Relationship
Comments: 2
Kudos: 19
Collections: Hermione's Holiday Hideaway 2020





	Trading Work for Festive Drink Making

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the _Hermione's Haven_ FB Groups _Holiday Hideaway 2020_ event. 
> 
> **Pairing:** Hermione/Ginny Weasley  
>  **Location:** Stirling, Scotland  
>  **Holiday Tradition Prompt:** Making Eggnog/Coquito

Ginny was sitting at the dining room table with her notes spread out in front of her. It was nearly tea-time, but she needed a nap more than anything. Unfortunately, her deadline was looming, and, as good as her boss at  _ The Prophet _ was, he wouldn’t accept a teething toddler as a reason for her submitting late. James was finally asleep and as much as her body demanded that she rest, Ginny knew that she needed to get this report written and sent off to London so that it would be ready to print. 

She was just about to close her eyes, her report finally finished and sent off by owl to  _ The Prophet _ ’s offices in London, when she heard movement behind her. She knew it wasn’t James since he was still fast asleep in his cot, but who could it be?

“Who’s there?” She called out, still sleepy. 

“Just me, Gin,” an all too familiar voice called back as Hermione stepped into the room, a small smile on her face. “I didn’t mean to startle you, sweetie.” 

“It’s okay,” she said, getting to her feet and crossing the room before enveloping her girlfriend in a tight hug. “I’m just tired that’s all.” 

“I’m sorry. I’m home now; why don’t you go to sleep?” Hermione suggested gently as she wrapped her arms around her petite girlfriend. “I can take care of James if he wakes. You go and lay your head down for a while. I’m here now. You’re okay.” 

“I love you,” Ginny said, giving her a peck on the cheek before releasing her and padding through the flat to their bedroom. 

“I love you too; now go!” Hermione ordered playfully, swatting her hands towards the bedroom as she moved towards the kitchen. “I’m making a cuppa and grabbing a book. I have an idea of how to start our festivities, but I want a girlfriend who isn’t about to fall asleep to help.” 

:: :: ::

An hour later, Ginny came padding back out to find Hermione reading a handwritten recipe book. 

“You want us to cook?” Ginny asked as she draped her arms over Hermione’s shoulders. “Do you think that is a good idea?”

“It’s not really cooking,” Hermione said. “See,” she showed Ginny the page she was on, “it’s making eggnog.” 

“You know, I’ve never tried it,” Ginny admitted as she threw herself over the back of the sofa and settled down. “But for you, I will. I’ll do anything for you.”

“I know that Sweetie; you don’t need to tell me. And what do you mean you’ve never tried it? Never had eggnog or never tried making it?” Hermione’s brow furrowed; this had always been a large part of Christmas prep in the Granger house. She used to love watching her dad make this, be it for her parents to drink or to give as gifts. Hermione even liked the smell.

“Both,” Ginny said as a blush spread up her cheeks. “I know this means a lot to you, so I’ll try both; just be patient with me?” 

“I can do that,” Hermione said, just happy that Ginny was willing to try, that was more than her brother ever did… she remembered the  _ ‘go ask my mum to help you’ _ that she always got when she tried to broach the subject with him at The Burrow. “It’s a simple recipe. I will make the sugar syrup and make you a coffee while I’m at it, so you can fully wake up.” 

“That sounds good to me; did James wake at all?” Ginny asked as she snuggled herself under a blanket. 

“He did, but after we played for a while out here, he went right back to sleep. He’s in his room if you want to peek in on him. It’s the best thing for him while he is teething.” Hermione had lost count of the number of parenting books she had read after she got together with Ginny. She wanted to make a good step-mum to little James. While Harry still saw his son, he wasn’t around as much as either Ginny or she had hoped. 

Hermione got up and moved to the kitchen, starting the coffee maker before measuring out sugar and water into a pan on the hob as per the recipe. She knew that it would be much quicker if she used her magic to help the process along, but that felt like cheating and took the tradition out of it. Her mum never used magic—being a muggle she couldn’t—so Hermione felt like she shouldn’t. 

After that, she grabbed their coffee mugs and poured them both steaming mugs, adding plenty of sugar and milk to Ginny’s and sugar to hers. She took the now made sugar syrup off the hob to let it cool and took the coffee to the living room. Ginny was now on the sofa staring absent-mindedly at the TV which she must have put on. 

“Coffee?” She asked, perking up and looking around. 

“There is nothing wrong with your sense of smell then?” Hermione chuckled as she held out Ginny’s sweet, milky coffee and swatted at her feet, so she could sit down again.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Ginny asked, a scowl flashing across her face. 

“You’ve been walking around like a zombie for I don’t know how long as if we aren’t a few days away from Christmas,” Hermione said, trying not to let her worry from the past few days seep into her voice or show on her face. 

“You try having deadlines, a teething toddler and trying to fit in Christmas shopping…” Ginny snapped. 

“Hey!” Hermione put her mug down and raised her hands in a surrender position, “No need to take it out on me!” She knew things were hard, and was helping as much as she could, but when the stubborn witch wouldn’t accept her help, there was little that Hermione could do... which infuriated her more than she would ever admit. 

“I’m sorry,” she said, tears forming in her eyes, “I don’t know how to control it. I never thought I would be  _ this _ tired.” 

“It’s okay. come on, let’s make this eggnog then we can order in food and rest for the evening,” Hermione said, offering her arms for a cuddle, in the hopes that Ginny wouldn’t start crying. 

“Okay,” she sniffed, falling into Hermione’s arms. “That sounds like a plan.” 

:: :: ::

Once they were settled in the kitchen, Hermione got up to grab all the things that they would need. Brandy, condensed milk, eggs, vanilla essence, a couple of bowls, a whisk and a large jug were placed on the table.

“Can you separate the eggs for me? We only need the yolks,” Hermione asked, handing Ginny the two bowls and the carton of eggs.

“Sure,” she said, moving the items in front of her and expertly cracking the first of the eggs. 

Hermione opened the tin and measured out the brandy that was needed before pouring herself and Ginny some to drink. 

Once everything was measured out, Hermione moved the egg whites off to one side, deciding that she would make some meringues with them so that they weren’t wasted, “Do you want to whisk the yolks, or do you want me to?”

“Can you?” Ginny asked, “I can watch and learn for another year,” she said, with a hopeful smile. 

“Sure,” Hermione said with a grin, it made her happy to see Ginny hopeful. Though Hermione couldn’t place if her girlfriend was hopeful that this would happen again next year or just hopeful about them still being together this time next year. 

As she began beating them, Ginny flicked her wand towards the radio in the corner so that it began softly playing Christmas songs, which both the young women began to hum along to. The rest of the ingredients were added, and finally, the eggnog was complete… or nearly complete. 

“What now?” Ginny asked as Hermione stopped mixing. 

“It needs to go in the fridge and chill for two hours, and then we have a day to drink it.” Hermione smiled as she poured the mixture into the prepared jug. 

“Okay,” Ginny nodded, picking up everything that had been used and moving them to the sink ready to be cleaned. 

Hermione moved to the fridge, a full jug in her hand, and placed it on the top shelf which she had cleared out that morning. “I hear films calling our names,” she said with a smile. Hermione picked up the untouched brandy glasses, offering one to Ginny before taking a sip of her own, “Shall we?” 

Ginny waved her wand at the dishes in the sink so that they would clean themselves as she followed Hermione into the living room. 

They had just settled down with Elf on the TV when a cry began in the other room. Hermione jumped to her feet. “You stay there; I’ll get him,” she said sternly to her girlfriend. “I want this to be a good first Christmas together for us,” she added as she left the room. 

She returned bouncing James on her hip, “look who it is Jamie, it’s Mummy. Should we all curl up together and watch some Christmas films? Would you like that?” She was saying, her voice a higher lilt than usual, a voice that she only ever used with James and that made Ginny’s heart flutter every time she heard it. 

As Hermione moved closer, James saw his mum and started babbling. Once Hermione sat down on the sofa, they nestled the toddler between them and started the film. 

Both women had smiles on their faces as they leant towards each other, James between them. They were ready to settle down for their first Christmas just the three of them. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading, if you enjoyed it please consider leaving kudos and/or a comment, but it's fine if you don't. 
> 
> The recipie I used for the girls to follow can be found [here](https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/eggnog)


End file.
